Title 25

SECTION 81.46

81.46 How does the Bureau proceed upon receiving a request for an OIWA Election if no provisions are contrary to applicable law

§ 81.46 How does the Bureau proceed upon receiving a request for an OIWA Election if no provisions are contrary to applicable law?

If the proposed document does not contain any provision that may be contrary to applicable law, the Bureau will take the following steps.

(a) The Authorizing Official will issue a memorandum to the Local Bureau Official:

(1) Approving the proposed document or proposed amendments;

(2) Authorizing the Local Bureau Official to call and conduct a Secretarial election, within 90 days from the date of receiving the tribal request;

(3) Attaching the document or proposed language to be voted upon;

(4) Attaching the Certificate of Results of Election, with instructions to return it at the conclusion of the Secretarial election. The Certificate shall read as follows:

Certificate of Results of Election

Under a Secretarial election authorized by (name and title of authorizing official) on (date), the attached [insert: Governing document and Bylaws, charter of incorporation, amendment or revocation] of the (official name of tribe) was submitted to the registered voters of the tribe and on (date) duly (insert: adopted, ratified, rejected or revoked) by a vote of (number) for and (number) against and (number) cast ballots found spoiled in an election in which at least 30 percent (or such “percentages” as may be required to amend according the governing document) of the (number) registered voters cast their ballot in accordance with (appropriate Federal statute).

Signed: ___________________

(by the Chair of the Secretarial Election Board and Board Members)

Date: _________________.; and

(5) Advising that no changes or modifications can be made to any of the attached documents, without prior approval from the Authorizing Official.

(b) The Local Bureau Official will appoint the Chair of the Secretarial Election Board and notify the tribe of the need to appoint at least two tribal members to the Secretarial Election Board. If the election is to be held as the result of a petition, then the Local Bureau Official will appoint a Bureau employee to serve as the Chair of the Secretarial Election Board and notify the tribe and the spokesperson for the petitioners of the need to appoint one tribal member each, who is at least 18 years of age, to the Secretarial Election Board. If the tribe or spokesperson declines or fails for any reason to make the appointment(s) by close of business on the 10th day after the date the notice letter is issued, the Chair of the Secretarial Election Board must appoint the representative(s), who are tribal members, if available, on the 11th day after the notice letter is issued.

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